Respect: A basic law of life

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 19:07:00 GMT

For September, our character focus is on respect which means we honor the thoughts, feelings, and diversity of others. We hold in high regard the property of others and of the school. I found out years ago that my ancestry from my father’s side goes back to the Cherokee nation. They and other Native Americans called respect “a basic law of life,” one that helps us get along and live together peacefully. Respect all people and all things for their intrinsic worth. Every person, place and thing has value. There are so many ways to demonstrate respect: allowing others to speak without interruption and actually listening to what they are saying. Greeting people each day with a smile and with kindness even to those people you don’t know. Acknowledging and understanding that other people have thoughts and feelings that may be different than ours and it’s OK. We can all learn from one another if we just take the time to listen and understand one another. We're not always going to agree, but when we disagree we can always do so respectfully. Sometimes you run into conflict where you may feel someone else has disrespected you. Quite often I hear from students, "well if they disrespect me I’m going to disrespect them." In situations such as this, someone needs to be the “bigger person" as my father would say. Find a peaceful and respectful resolution to the conflict. Think to yourself, what can I do in this situation and still maintain dignity and respect. If a resolution cannot be reached, agree to disagree or ask a caring adult to assist you. My parents taught me the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Remember that respect is earned by giving it first. When you model respect toward others you are setting the example of what you expect in return.

Loyalty to country and family

Sun, 30 May 2021 18:16:00 GMT

Loyalty means we demonstrate pride and allegiance to our country, community, school, family, and peers. In short, it means to show you are there for someone else at all times good and bad, up and down. I want to share with you a short personal story about my family’s history that speaks to the very essence of loyalty. The date was February 4, 1945. The crew of the USS Barbel - ss316, a submarine, was struck by bombs from Japanese aircraft several miles off the coast of the Philippines and all were lost, killed in action. This event hits home for me because my great uncle Ellis Henry Stevens was a Motor Machinist’s Mate 2nd class aboard that submarine. I never met my great uncle, but his youngest sister, my great aunt Mae Stevens made sure I knew who he was while I was growing up as a kid. She often shared pictures and stories about him from their childhood and read many of the letters he wrote home while he was in service. My great uncle was a loyal serviceman to our country, but he was also fiercely loyal to the family back home. He was the oldest of four children and joined the Navy in 1939 at the beginning of World War II. During his time in the service, he would write home to his family on a regular basis and would wire money home monthly so that my great aunt Mae, the baby of the family, could stay in school. My grandfather and his other brother worked the farms to make ends meet, but never finished school while my great aunt was able to go on and graduate. Thanks in large part to my great uncle Ellis’s loyalty to family. Shortly after he was presumed dead on February 19, 1946, his family received the Purple Heart and a memorial notification letter signed by President Harry Truman for his sacrifice and service to our country. I am now the proud owner of his purple heart and memorial notification letter as well as all the letters he wrote my great aunt. One day I will write a book about him based on his letters to her and his loyalty. His story is the legacy that I can pass on to my children and future grandchildren. What will be your story of loyalty? I encourage you to reflect on who or what you are loyal to and to express your gratitude to those who are loyal to you. I will close with this quote from renowned film director Mario Puzo “The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, lies in its loyalty to each other.”

The strength and perseverance of FDR

Sun, 02 May 2021 20:37:00 GMT

The following story about Franklin D. Roosevelt and the challenges he faced en route to the presidency is a prime example of perseverance. The year was 1921, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who would go on to become the 32nd president of the United States was diagnosed with polio. A disease that would leave him paralyzed from the waist down and the root cause of other health problems he would endure. FDR had served as a member of the New York Senate and Assistant Secretary of the Navy up to that point. He was not about to let polio keep him from continuing his career in politics. There was much more that he wanted to accomplish. Despite the lack of a cure for polio, he continuously worked on rehabilitating. He even established a rehabilitation center in Warm Springs, Georgia in 1925. He never gave up the hope that he could walk again throughout the rest of his life. He never let polio stand in the way of his dream to be President, so he persevered through his disease to eventually become the 32nd President of the United States. Prior to becoming President, at the urging of a political colleague and despite his physical limitations, FDR ran for governor of New York and would win the office by a mere one percent margin in 1928. As New York was the most populous state at the time, serving as governor would set him up for the next presidential election. FDR would serve two terms as governor before running for President in 1932. When FDR was President during the Great Depression he did not let polio stop him from opening up banks, getting more jobs for people, making the New Deal, and other things that lessened the effects of the Great Depression. As World War II started, he was still battling polio and other illnesses, but that didn’t stop him either. His cause and purpose as a leader kept him going. His response to Japan’s attack at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 reignited America’s resolve and courage and America quickly realized it could win in the war. FDR was absolutely the epitome for perseverance. He had the grit to fight through polio, the Great Depression, and World War II to lead America back to its feet. During his fourth term as president, polio finally got the best of FDR as he passed away April 12, 1945 at the end of World War II. But FDR had accomplished his mission. You see perseverance is all about your mindset. It’s about having an unwavering faith, a determination, and a strong belief in yourself that no matter what obstacles you come up against, you can get through it. In life, you will encounter many challenges and possibly defeat one way or another. Like FDR, you can persevere through those challenges and defeats to achieve your life’s mission if you just have the fortitude to keep fighting for it. And never, ever give up.

Compassion among enemies

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 20:50:00 GMT

For April, our emphasis will be on compassion which means we show empathy and concern for others. We have a desire to serve locally and globally. Compassion is a genuine sympathy for hardship or suffering that other people are experiencing, and a desire to ease that pain. The following story I believe hits at the very heart of compassion. The year was 1944 and it was Christmas Eve, during the Battle of the Bulge in Germany. A young boy, and his mother were alone in their cabin in the forest, safe from the icy cold, and they thought, from the American enemy soldiers hiding in the countryside. Mrs. Vincken and her son, Fritz, heard someone at the door. She opened it to find a group of US soldiers. One had been wounded. She set aside her fears of execution for helping the enemy and let the soldiers in her house. She did not speak English, and they spoke no German, but they were able to talk in French. Not long after the soldiers had settled in, there was a loud and sharp knock at the door. Mrs. Vincken was afraid that it might be German soldiers, so she opened the door carefully. She was right. There was a very high likelihood that if the German soldiers had no mercy, that she would be shot for harboring the Americans, even if it had been only for those few moments. The brave woman stepped outside and told the German soldiers that she would serve them a hot dinner but that it was Christmas Eve, and she had guests. She asked the Germans to leave their guns in her shed because, even though they might not like her visitors, Christmas Eve was a night of peace. She then took the guns of the Americans and hid them away as well. The German soldiers, having honored her request, stepped inside. The atmosphere was awkward at first, until one of the German soldiers, a medic, began dressing the wounds of one of the Americans. Fritz Vincken recounted the incident in an interview with WII History Network: “Then we added more ingredients to our stew and invited these enemies to sit down together for dinner. One of the German soldiers, an ex-medical student, fixed the wounded American and then Mother read from the Bible and declared that there would be at least one night of peace in this war — Christmas night in the Ardennes Forest. After a good night’s rest, they said their goodbyes and went on their way. The German soldiers told the Americans, which way their camp was and gave them a compass to find their way.” Fritz credits his mother’s personality and generosity when asked why the German soldiers did not turn her in. “I think it was my mom’s personality and her persuasiveness to have them rest for one peaceful night. There was a place to stay, hot food, and shelter from the cold and they appreciated that.” Mrs. Vincken never saw any of those soldiers again, but Fritz eventually was reunited with two of the Americans. He now lives in Hawaii. Said Fritz, “Many years have gone since that bloodiest of all wars, but the memories of that night in the Ardennes never left me. The inner strength of a single woman, who, by her wits and intuition, prevented potential bloodshed, taught me the practical meaning of the words: ‘Goodwill Toward Mankind’ . . . I remember mother and those seven young soldiers, who met as enemies and parted as friends, right in the middle of the battle of the Bulge.” Compassion arises through empathy and is characterized by actions. Mrs. Vincken’s compassion that night brought comfort and peace to a small group of men known to be enemies. Her example not only had an impact on those soldiers, but it would have a profound and lasting effect on her son. You see a simple act of compassion such as providing a hot meal to strangers, showing a smile, or just giving a kind word to someone you don’t even know can make a world of difference in someone’s life and in yours!

Michael Jordan - a model of confidence

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 21:14:00 GMT

I had the pleasure of meeting Michael Jordan in 1985 at UNC basketball school. As a lifelong Tar Heel fan, I followed Jordan's career at UNC, then on to Chicago, even though I'm a Lakers fan, as well as outside of basketball. I believe his journey in basketball and in life speaks to the very essence of confidence. The year was 1978, Michael Jordan tried out for his high school’s varsity basketball team, but at 5’11 he was told he was too short to play at that level as a sophomore and remained on junior varsity. He worked constantly on his game to improve his skills and during his JV season would score 40 or more points in several games. Over the next summer, he would grow four inches. He spent countless hours working on his basketball skills. The next two years of high school he would average over 25 points per game, over 12 rebounds, and six assists per game. He was named a high school All-American and played in the annual McDonald’s All-American game where he scored 30 points. He was highly recruited by several major universities with prominent basketball programs such as Duke, Syracuse, and Virginia, but ultimately landed at North Carolina. He had a phenomenal freshmen year. He would hit the game winning shot against Georgetown in the national championship game and was named ACC Freshman of the Year. The work he put into honing his skills is what gave him the confidence to take that monumental shot against Georgetown. Jordan later described this shot as the major turning point in his basketball career. Never being satisfied, Jordan continued to put in the work to get stronger and more consistent in overall skills. The next two years, he was selected to the NCAA All-America First Team. He would be honored with the Naismith and Wooden awards in 1984, his last year of college basketball. That same spring Jordan was selected as the third pick in the NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. He would go on to a storied career in the NBA winning 6 NBA titles with the Bulls and several Player of the Year awards. He is arguably the greatest player of all-time or as you all have come to know, the GOAT. What separated Michael from other players was the level of confidence he developed. He worked constantly on perfecting his skills, growing his knowledge of the game, and enhancing his thought processes. Because he had worked so much on his game, he knew he was going to make the next shot or make the next stop against an opposing player. He learned to turn failures into positives. One of his most notable quotes describes how he thinks, “I have failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” He developed a perspective that his failures were really stepping stones to another level of success and his confidence grew as he overcame his setbacks and failures. What we learn from Michael is that confidence is linked to our attitude and our actions. The attitude of failing forward, never giving up, and staying consistent in your actions toward skills and knowledge you want to gain. Regardless of what skill sets you’re trying to develop, it will take real concerted and consistent efforts on your part to develop that kind of confidence. It will take overcoming setbacks and delaying gratification for better results and ultimately greater success. You just have to be patient with the process just like Mike!

Dorothy Vaughan's story of initiative

Sun, 07 Feb 2021 18:40:00 GMT

We generally think of initiative as recognizing and doing what needs to be done before being asked. And that's true. But initiative is so much more. Initiative believes in the possibilities of opportunity; it sees opportunity where others see barriers. Initiative means going the extra mile. The following story is a great example of how taking initiative can change the course of one’s life and the lives of others. The year was 1949. Dorothy Johnson Vaughan became the first African American supervisor at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (the predecessor of NASA) when she was promoted to manager of the West Area Computers. This work group was made up mostly of African American female mathematicians who worked at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Vaughan’s title opened the door for her to collaborate with other well-known computer operators and gave her access to see future plans of the organization. In 1958, the NACA officially became NASA. During that time, Vaughan realized that NASA was going to move into machine computing with computer programming. They began bringing in large computers from IBM. Seeing that these computers would likely replace her and her team of mathematicians, she took the initiative to learn FORTRAN programming language. She not only taught herself this complex language, but she also took the time to teach her team. In 1961 she officially became supervisor of the digital programming center and brought her team with her. She made significant contributions to the space program through her work on the Scout Launch Vehicle Program and the launch of John Glenn into orbit. Had Dorothy Vaughan not taken the initiative to teach herself and others this new language, she and her team would have been fired. The Scout Launch Vehicle Program may have taken longer to get off the ground. It may have taken NASA longer to get man into orbit. Her initiative changed the course of her life, her team, and essentially that of the NASA space program. Vaughan’s work and the work of Mary Jackson and Katherine Johnson were featured in the 2016 movie Hidden Figures. What can we learn from Vaughan’s story? She saw an opportunity and seized the moment by taking initiative. She saw possibilities where others may have seen barriers and she went the extra mile to affect change. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Unless you try to do something beyond what you have mastered, you will never grow.”

Heroic efforts of responsibility

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 18:02:00 GMT

This month, our character focus is on responsibility which means being held accountable for how our words and actions affect others as well as ourselves. The following story from the Titanic demonstrates the great lengths people have gone to fulfill their responsibilities. The year was 1912 and all the talk in the world, especially in Europe was about the Titanic, a luxury ship designed to ferry people back and forth across the Atlantic. However, as you know on its maiden voyage, the unsinkable Titanic struck an iceberg just before midnight on April 14, 1912 and would subsequently sink to the bottom of the Atlantic at 2:20 a.m. on April 15. There were 2,224 passengers on board with over 900 crew. But, there were only enough lifeboats to carry about 1100 people. The decision-makers for Titanic irresponsibly decided that because the ship was considered unsinkable, they didn’t need as many. They opted for more deck space rather than keeping the safety of all passengers and crew in mind. That decision cost lives as over 1500 people perished that night into the icy Atlantic Ocean. Of the 900 crew members, 25 of them were engineers responsible for maintaining the inner-workings of the ship including the pumps designed to control any possible flooding. As the Titanic was sinking, passengers were being loaded onto the lifeboats by the deck crew. During this time, the engineering crew remained at their posts to work the pumps, controlling the flooding as much as possible. Their actions ensured the power stayed on during the evacuation and allowed the wireless radio system to keep sending distress signals. These brave men kept at their work as it was their responsibility. They helped save more than 700 people even though it would cost them their own lives. This story shows how an irresponsible decision can negatively impact the lives of hundreds of people. The story also demonstrates how following through on your responsibilities can make a major positive impact, especially when you are putting the welfare of others above yourself. The key factor here is that your responsibilities impact others one way or another and not just you. Take a moment to think about what you are responsible. How would fulfilling those responsibilities or choosing not to fulfill them impact others? As Abraham Lincoln once said, “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”

Integrity is actionable

Sun, 29 Nov 2020 18:55:00 GMT

This month, our character focus is on Integrity. Integrity means that our daily interactions with ourselves and with others are led by honesty, trustworthiness, and sincerity. The following historical story speaks to the value of integrity and establishing trust with others. The year was 1854. Jacob Hamblin was a Mormon pioneer sent from Illinois to help settle southern Utah as more and more people sought to move west. Hamblin quickly developed a friendship with the Native Americans who lived there. He did business with them regularly and they knew they could trust him to treat them honestly and fairly. He was known as a man of integrity by his new friends because of his consistent actions. One day he sent his son to obtain blankets from a Native American man, in exchange for a pony. The man offered a pile of blankets after examining the pony, but the son, wanting to prove what a good business man he could be, refused the offer, saying he wanted more. The man continued to add blankets to the pile until the son agreed to the trade. However, when the boy returned home, he found his father was not proud of his business skills. The boy had taken more than the pony was worth, and he promptly sent the son to return half the blankets. The Native American man, when the boy explained sheepishly what he was there to do, laughed. He had known Hamblin would make his son return the extra blankets. You see integrity is actionable. It’s not just based on your words, but also your actions. If you want to become trustworthy, you must do things that build trust with others consistently over time. And that is the essence of integrity.

Gratitude lessons from the Great Depression

Sun, 01 Nov 2020 21:15:00 GMT

November is National Gratitude Month and also our character focus this month. Having gratitude means we express humility and thankfulness for the people, opportunities, gifts, and talents afforded us. The following story I believe speaks volumes about having a mindset of gratitude. The year was 1933. The Great Depression had reached its lowest point as nearly 15 million Americans, 20 percent of the population, were unemployed and over half of the nation’s banks had failed. Others who remained employed had their wages reduced which also decreased their buying power. Soup kitchens, breadlines, and a growing population of homeless people were common across many cities and towns in the US. Despite all of these challenges, many Americans learned how to make do with what they had. They developed an attitude of gratitude and learned how to be grateful for what they did have and not what they were going without. We have learned throughout our history that it’s not what you don’t have, but what you do with what you have that counts the most. That type of perspective only happens when you have gratitude. Folks during the Great Depression may have eaten the same type of meal for days on end, but they learned to be grateful that they had food. Marty Bryan, who is in his late 80s, from Columbus, Ohio shared, “I lived through The Great Depression and can remember eating beans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner when I was four years old but at least we had something to eat. Others didn’t.” Another resident from Columbus, Ohio, Maxine Bartelt, age 87, recalls. “Eating was different in those days, too. We didn’t come to a table and complain because the food wasn’t what we liked. There were not many choices. We ate or went without. Some days bread and gravy tasted very good.” The point here is this. We all have challenges and struggles we have to deal with just like right now going through this pandemic. And it can be easy to get down because of those challenges. But it’s during those challenging times where a focus on being truly grateful for what we have will get us through. Because no matter what issues we may have, there is always someone out there in the world who has even greater challenges. Take a moment right now and think about who or what you are grateful for in your life. Have you shown appreciation for what you’re grateful for? Have you told others that you are grateful for them? For me personally, I am truly grateful, thankful, and joyful that I have the opportunity to serve as your principal every day. I am grateful and appreciative that I have a supportive and loving family at home and a loving, supportive staff I get to work with everyday. So for the entire month of November, I encourage you to take the gratitude challenge and post on Twitter and Instagram about someone or something you are grateful for everyday this month. Use #MHSgraditude.

A courageous story for freedom

Sun, 04 Oct 2020 18:00:00 GMT

Our character trait of the month for October is Courage, which is when we demonstrate the bravery and resilience required when approaching uncertainty and change. The following story I believe speaks to the heart of courage. The year was 1862. To be more exact, it was May 12, 1862 when a 22-year-old slave by the name of Robert Smalls would courageously pull off one of the greatest escapes to freedom in history. At that time, Union Naval forces had created a blockade around Charleston, South Carolina and Confederate forces had dug in to defend its coastal waters. Robert Smalls was a mulatto slave who had been sailing those waters since his early teens. He was a “wheelman” aboard a gunboat the CSS Planter, a cotton steamer that had been heavily armed to go out into battle the next morning. The Planter was commanded by three white officers and had a crew of eight slaves including Smalls. Smalls was intelligent, resourceful, and a skillful navigator eager to free himself and his family. On May 12, 1862 he saw an opportunity to do just that. Against regulations the three white officers left the ship for the night, leaving Smalls and crew behind which shows how much they trusted Smalls and the crew. After the officers were gone, Smalls shared his plan with the crew and went into action knowing that if they were caught they would all be shot. At 2 a.m. on May 13, Smalls put on the captain’s uniform and straw hat to look the part. He and his small crew hoisted the South Carolina and Confederate flags as decoys and began easing the Planter out of the dock right past General Roswell Ripley’s headquarters. He first stops at West Atlantic Wharf to pick up his wife and children, four other women, three men, and a child. There were five Confederate harbor points Smalls had to guide the ship through. But Smalls was smart, over time he had studied every signal given by his captain so he was well prepared for this moment. At approximately 4:30 a.m. Smalls had sailed past the last point at Fort Sumter when the alarms sounded, but by that time, the Planter was out of gun range. He had one more obstacle to overcome, the U.S. Naval forces. After sailing past Fort Sumter, they pulled down the two flags and hoisted a white bed sheet brought on board by his wife as a sign of surrender. However, it was still before sunrise and John Frederick Nickels, the acting captain of the USS Onward, could not see the white flag, so he ordered for the “ports to open” meaning prepare to fire. Just before the order to fire, the sun came up and one lookout spotted the white “flag” preserving the Planter and its crew. Smalls’ turned the ship over to the U.S. Navy. His escape plan had succeeded and his family was finally free. Smalls would share with Naval intelligence the captain’s code book containing Confederate signals and a map of the mines and torpedoes laid in Charleston’s harbor. He shared his extensive knowledge of the Charleston waterways and military configurations. His valuable information allowed for Union forces to take over Coles Island and its string of batteries without a fight. Smalls would not only gain freedom for his family, but would go to serve in the U.S. Navy until 1868 when he began a career in politics. His first stint was in the South Carolina House of Representatives, then the state senate. In 1875, he would be elected to the U.S House of Representatives for South Carolina’s 5th district and then the 7th district. While Smalls exhibited great courage that night of the escape, he had been preparing for that night long before. He had the courage and the foresight to prepare for that moment. He knew the uncertainty and the dangers he would face yet he planned for it anyway. The point of his story can be summed up in the following quote from an unknown source. “Sometimes life can be challenging and you can feel as though you are not getting anywhere. However, you have to remember that every courageous step counts and if you take small steps every day, one day you will get there.”

First Hispanic Female in Space

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 20:39:00 GMT

In honor of Hispanic Heritage month, I thought it all too fitting to share a story of respect for the first Hispanic female astronaut in space, Ellen Ochoa. The year was 1993. April 8, 1993 to be exact. Ellen Ochoa and four other fellow astronauts would board the Space Shuttle Discovery for a 9-day mission. Ochoa was a mission specialist aboard the Discovery. This mission was officially called ATLAS-2: the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-2, which was designed to collect data on the relationship between the sun's energy output and Earth's middle atmosphere and how these factors affect the ozone layer. The crew also made numerous radio contacts to schools around the world using Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment II, called SAREX II, including a brief radio contact with Russian Mir space station, the first ever such contact between Shuttle and Mir using amateur radio equipment. Ochoa not only made history on April 8, 1993, but she would go on to serve on three other missions logging over 1000 hours in space, over 41 days. Her last mission was in 2002. Ochoa’s paternal grandparents were originally from Sorona, Mexico. A state that borders Arizona and California. She grew up in La Mesa, California and developed a keen interest in math, science, and music. After high school, she would graduate from San Diego State University with a degree in physics in 1980. While in college, she played the flute for two years as part of the university marching band and for five years as a member of the university wind ensemble. In 1981 and 1985 respectively, she earned her master’s and doctorate in Electrical Engineering from Stanford. This is where she began her research work on optical systems. Her work in optical and computer systems for automated space exploration is what earned her respect and recognition in a field normally dominated by men. The systems she developed while at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico and then with a team of researchers at NASA’s Ames Research Division in California, would prove to have important applications for data gathering and evaluating equipment safety. The work in two of her missions provided valuable data about the damage to the Earth’s ozone layer in the mid-90s. Mrs. Ochoa’s contributions to science, and in particular space exploration, garnered her much recognition and respect. Over the course of her career, she has received seven awards from NASA, in addition to the Women in Aerospace Outstanding Achievement Award, the Hispanic Engineer Albert Baez Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution to Humanity, and the Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award. Other awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Exceptional Service Medal, Outstanding Leadership Medal, and four Space Flight Medals. In 1999, she was selected by then President Clinton to serve on the Presidential Commission on the Celebration of Women in American History. She currently serves as Director of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In 2018, she was inducted into the International Air and Space Hall of Fame. She also has three schools in the greater Los Angeles area named in her honor. She also has schools named for her in the states of Washington, Texas, and Oklahoma. Outside of her current research for NASA, she also gives back by traveling the country speaking to a variety of groups, many of whom are students.

Senior Awards & Hanover Scholars Event

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 21:20:00 GMT

Attention senior students and parents/guardians: please see the important information below for updates regarding our Senior Awards event. Senior Awards provides us with the opportunity to recognize our graduating seniors receiving honors, awards, and scholarships from Lee-Davis High School, alumni and families, universities, and state and national organizations. Seniors are recognized for their many special gifts and talents, from academic distinction to athletic excellence, for personal character, dedication to service, and more. As you know, in light of recent events our school buildings remain closed for the duration of the 2019-2020 school year. Due to these unfortunate circumstances, we will be unable to hold our traditional in-house ceremonies. However, we still want to recognize our seniors’ accomplishments by showcasing their achievements through a Senior Awards program document that will be distributed on Wednesday, May 20th, via Social Media, Schoology, and e-connect messages to our community and students. This document will include a listing of all school-specific senior scholarship and award winners, Hanover Scholars recipients, and other outside scholarships/awards received by the graduating Class of 2020, as reported to us by the May 1st deadline. Scholarship recipients (for school-specific scholarships) will be contacted via Schoology around May 20, 2020 and provided with a “Scholarship Recipient Information Form.” This form will request recipient contact information, college/postsecondary mailing address, and other pertinent information needed to process and send their scholarship funds to the appropriate institution. Outside Scholarships: If a senior has received a scholarship award and/or grant from the college they will attend or from an outside organization not related to L-DHS (e.g. military, businesses, etc.), they must email a copy of the official award letter to their Career Counselor, Mrs. Corbin, via Schoology or at acorbin@hcps.us confirming the scholarship no later than Friday, May 1 if they want to be acknowledged for it in the Senior Awards Program. Along with the official award letter, please email the dollar amount and the name of the scholarship that you would like to be included in the program. Additionally, we want to recognize seniors that have received their Eagle Scout rank by the Boy Scouts or the Gold Award by the Girl Scouts. In order to do so, they must email Mrs. Corbin, Career Counselor, via Schoology or at acorbin@hcps.us with official documentation of their achievement by Friday, May 1. Any Outside Scholarship and/or Award information received after Friday, May 1 will not be included in the Senior Awards Program or in other forms of communication. Please contact Mrs. Corbin, Career Counselor, at acorbin@hcps.us, with any questions.

Information for the Class of 2020

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 19:53:00 GMT

We know that you may have many questions about graduation, from requirements to commencement exercises. Last week, Dr. Gill sent out the following information to these questions that we hope will help to ease and address many of your concerns. Graduation Requirements: The Superintendent of Public Instruction has shared with us his commitment that students on-track for graduation prior to the closing of schools will graduate. More specific details are included below. In addition, please note that all students, including seniors, are expected to complete all Learn-from-Home assignments for the remainder of the school year. More details regarding these requirements are forthcoming. The following graduation requirements can be waived: Students currently enrolled in a course for which they need a standard or verified credit in order to graduate; Students who have successfully completed a course required for graduation, but have not earned the associated verified credit; Students who have not completed the student-selected test; Students who are currently enrolled in or have previously completed a course leading to a Career and Technical Education (CTE) credential necessary for a Standard Diploma but have not yet earned the credential. The Code of Virginia outlines several credit-based graduation requirements. We are working diligently with the Virginia Department of Education to ensure we adhere to the processes necessary to request a waiver to the following requirements: Students who have not completed a United States and Virginia history course; Students who have not completed a fine or performing arts or career and technical education course; Students in the second of sequential courses; Students who have not completed an economics and personal finance course. The following graduation requirements will require action by the General Assembly in order to be waived: Students who have not completed training in emergency first aid, CPR, and the use of automated external defibrillators, including hands-on practice of the skills necessary to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation; and Students who have not completed a virtual course. (This does not include the Learn-from-Home initiative currently being offered by HCPS.) If you have concerns about whether or not you/your students are on-track for graduation, please contact your school counselor or administrator who can assist you in reviewing your progress and help you finish strong. We are eager to work with individual students and families who have concerns about fulfilling graduation requirements. Graduation Ceremonies: We are committed to celebrating the accomplishments of our senior class. Our sincere desire is to hold traditional graduation ceremonies for all four high schools. While we cannot predict when the Governor will lift the current restrictions on large gatherings, we are still maintaining our reservation at the VCU Siegel Center for Saturday, June 13. If this is not possible, we hope to hold ceremonies later in the summer, if permitted. However, if restrictions remain in place longer than anticipated and in-person ceremonies are not possible, our team is already actively exploring all possibilities to honor and recognize our graduates. We will share further details as we know more. We hope these updates will help to address the many questions and concerns you may have regarding graduation. We will continue to provide you with regular updates regarding graduation and a variety of other topics as they become available. If you have additional questions that were not addressed, please contact your school counselor or administrator. Please also visit the school division’s website for the most up-to-date information. Keep It Safe!

The confidence of Michael Jordan (1)

Sun, 01 Mar 2020 19:07:00 GMT

I had the pleasure of meeting Michael Jordan in 1985 at UNC basketball school. I believe his journey in basketball and in life speaks to the very essence of confidence, our character trait of the month for March. The year was 1978, Michael Jordan tried out for his high school’s varsity basketball team, but at 5’11 he was told he was too short to play at that level as a sophomore and remained on junior varsity. He worked constantly on his game to improve his skills and during his JV season would score 40 or more points in several games. Over the next summer, he would grow four inches. He spent countless hours working on his basketball skills. The next two years of high school he would average over 25 points per game, over 12 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. He was named a high school All-American and played in the annual McDonald’s All-American game where he scored 30 points. He was highly recruited by several major universities with prominent basketball programs such as Duke, Syracuse, and Virginia, but ultimately landed at North Carolina. He had a phenomenal freshmen year. He would hit the game winning shot against Georgetown in the national championship game and was named ACC Freshman of the Year. The work he put in to honing his skills is what gave him the confidence to take that monumental shot against Georgetown. Jordan later described this shot as the major turning point in his basketball career. Never being satisfied, Jordan continued to put in the work to get stronger and more consistent in overall skills. The next two years, he was selected to the NCAA All-America First Team. He would be honored with the Naismith and Wooden awards in 1984, his last year of college basketball. That same spring Jordan was selected as the third pick in the NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. He would go on to a storied career in the NBA winning 6 NBA titles with the Bulls and several Player of the Year awards. He is arguably the greatest player of all-time or GOAT for short. What separated Michael from other players was the level of confidence he developed. He worked constantly on perfecting his skills, growing his knowledge of the game, and enhancing his thought processes. Because he had worked so much on his game, he knew he was going to make the next shot or make the next stop against an opposing player. He learned to turn failures into positives. One of his most notable quotes describes how he thinks, “I have failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” He developed a perspective that his failures were really stepping stones to another level of success and his confidence grew as he overcame his setbacks and failures. What we learn from Michael is that confidence is linked to the actions we take in developing and enhancing our skills. Regardless of what skill sets you’re trying to develop, it will take real concerted and consistent efforts on your part to develop that kind of confidence. It will take overcoming setbacks and delaying gratification for better results and ultimately greater success.

Take initiative and seize the moment

Sat, 01 Feb 2020 20:57:00 GMT

This month our character focus is on Initiative which means we seize the opportunity to independently act or take charge. This includes creating new ideas, anticipating the needs of others, and seeking leadership opportunities. We generally think of initiative as recognizing and doing what needs to be done before being asked. And that's true. But initiative is so much more. Initiative believes in the possibilities of opportunity; it sees opportunity where others see barriers. Initiative means going the extra mile. The following story is a great example of how taking initiative can change the course of one’s life and the lives of others. The year was 1949. Dorothy Johnson Vaughan became the first African American supervisor at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (the predecessor of NASA) when she was promoted to manager of the West Area Computers. This work group was made up mostly of African American female mathematicians who worked at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Vaughan’s title opened the door for her to collaborate with other well-known computer operators and gave her access to see future plans of the organization. In 1958, the NACA officially became NASA. During that time, Vaughan realized that NASA was going to move into machine computing with computer programming. They began bringing in large computers from IBM. Seeing that these computers would likely replace her and her team of mathematicians, she took the initiative to learn FORTRAN programming language. She not only taught herself this complex language, but she also took the time to teach her team. In 1961 she officially became supervisor of the digital programming center and brought her team with her. She made such significant contributions to the space program through her work on the Scout Launch Vehicle Program and the launch of John Glenn into orbit. Had Dorothy Vaughan not taken the initiative to teach herself and others this new language, she and her team would have been fired. The Scout Launch Vehicle Program may have taken longer to get off the ground. It may have taken NASA longer to get man into orbit. Her initiative changed the course of her life, her team, and essentially that of the NASA space program. Vaughan’s work and the work of Mary Jackson and Katherine Johnson were featured in the 2016 movie Hidden Figures. What can we learn from Vaughan’s story? She saw an opportunity and seized the moment by taking initiative. She saw possibilities where others may have seen barriers and she went the extra mile to affect change. As I mentioned earlier, there are four and half months until the end of the school year. I know I’m stating the obvious, but seniors this is your final four and half months of high school. As you all work toward the end of the year, think about where you can take more initiative either in school or in life. See the possibilities, work to overcome your barriers, and go the extra mile to set yourself up for success. Reflect on this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. “Unless you try to do something beyond what you have mastered, you will never grow.”

9 Ways to Take Responsibility for Your Life

Sun, 19 Jan 2020 20:57:00 GMT

As I was researching for today's blog, I came across the blog below that provides both perspective and strategies to take more responsibility for your life and essentially your future. https://thriveglobal.com/stories/9-ways-to-take-responsibility-for-your-life/

Taking responsibility (1)

Sun, 12 Jan 2020 21:59:00 GMT

Take a moment with your teenager this week to share and discuss the following quote by John C. Maxwell, leadership coach and author of over 70 books on leadership. "The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That's the day we truly grow up."

Responsibility lessons from the Titanic

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 18:43:00 GMT

The year was 1912 and all the talk in the world, especially in Europe, was about the Titanic, a luxury ship designed to ferry people back and forth across the Atlantic. However, on its maiden voyage, the unsinkable Titanic struck an iceberg just before midnight on April 14, 1912 and would subsequently sink to the bottom of the Atlantic at 2:20 a.m. on April 15. There were 2,224 passengers on board with over 900 crew. However, there were only enough lifeboats to carry about 1100 people. The decision-makers for Titanic irresponsibly decided that because the ship was considered unsinkable, they didn’t need as many. They opted for more deck space rather than keeping the safety of all passengers and crew in mind. That decision cost lives as over 1500 people perished that night. Of the 900 crew members, 25 of them were engineers responsible for maintaining the inner-workings of the ship including the pumps designed to control any possible flooding. As the Titanic was sinking, passengers were being loaded onto the lifeboats by the deck crew. During this time, the engineering crew remained at their posts to work the pumps, controlling the flooding as much as possible. Their actions ensured the power stayed on during the evacuation and allowed the wireless radio system to keep sending distress signals.These men bravely kept at their work as it was their responsibility. They helped save more than 700 people even though it would cost them their own lives. This story shows how irresponsible decisions can negatively impact not only your own life, but the lives of others. The story also demonstrates how following through on your responsibilities can make a major impact, especially when you are putting the welfare of others above yourself. As we begin a new decade, take time to talk with you teens about their roles and responsibilities within your family structure. Talk to them about how their responsibilities may evolve over time and the importance of following through. Happy New Year and New Decade!

The value of honor

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 02:00:00 GMT

I saw a news segment this morning on NBC12 about a father from Louisa County who had been deployed with the U.S. Army for over a year. Mr. Torbush, an Army Sergeant, was able to surprise his kids who were at Louisa County High School yesterday (Dec. 14, 2019) for a wrestling tournament. His two boys were on the wrestling team and were quite surprised when the coach announced their special visitor. His two daughters also ran out on the mat to greet their dad. It was quite a moving story. The story made me think of the word honor. In this instance, it's the way we show respect and admiration for someone. The kids honored their mother and father by the way they embraced their dad. In a blog on Honor Lessons by Scott Turansky on imom.com, he states that children learn honor from their parents. The way Mom and Dad treat each other, even in disagreements, is an example to children of how they should treat others. Mrs. Torbush stated in the news segment how difficult life had become without her husband around, but based on their reunion one could only conclude how diligently she "kept the home fires burning" during his deployment. It's in the daily routines and actions where our kids will learn honor. What we instill in our kids every day is what they will eventually instill in theirs. "It is not the honor that you take with you, but the heritage you leave behind." - Branch Rickey.

A story of integrity

Sun, 08 Dec 2019 19:30:00 GMT

The year was 1854. Jacob Hamblin was a Mormon pioneer sent from Illinois to help settle southern Utah. Hamblin quickly developed a friendship with the Native Americans who lived there. He did business with them regularly and they knew they could trust him to treat them honestly and fairly. He was known as a man of integrity by his new friends because of his consistent actions. One day he sent his son to obtain blankets from a Native American man, in exchange for a pony. The man offered a pile of blankets after examining the pony, but the son, wanting to prove what a good business man he could be, refused the offer, saying he wanted more. The man continued to add blankets to the pile until the son agreed to the trade. However, when the boy returned home, he found his father was not proud of his business skills. The boy had taken more than the pony was worth, and he promptly sent the son to return half the blankets. The Native American man, when the boy explained sheepishly what he was there to do, laughed. He had known Hamblin would make his son return the extra blankets. You see integrity is actionable. It’s not just based on your words, but also your actions. If you want to become trustworthy, you must do things that build trust with others consistently over time. And that is the essence of integrity.

A perspective of gratitude

Sun, 17 Nov 2019 15:00:00 GMT

For the past six years that I have served as principal, the last Friday just before school starts I share an inspirational quote to set the theme for the year. This year our theme centers around PERSPECTIVE and the following quote was given to each staff member. "It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see." - Henry David Thoreau As I was doing some research on stories of gratitude, I came across the following article that I believe speaks to a perspective of gratitude. A short lesson on gratitude.

Time, a precious gift to our kids

Sat, 09 Nov 2019 21:45:00 GMT

I have been married to my wife Sally for over 28 years and our sons are now 26 and 23. It's a blessing to still be in their lives every day, but I have to admit one of the pleasures we enjoyed from birth through their high school years was the time we got to spend together especially at family dinners. That was our designated time to catch up. As they got more into high school sports and activities and travel sports, our family dinners were not as frequent, but we still made time each week. It was important to my wife and I to have that time because we knew that time was precious and would not last forever. We still squeeze in a family dinner or two here and there, but it's definitely not the same. As the pace of life seems to have increased with more activities, parents/guardians working on different schedules, online access 24/7, family are challenged more now than ever. I encourage you to carve out time as much as you can each week to stay connected with your teenagers. These years are just as critical if not more than their younger years. They are discovering more of who they are and what they want to be. They are associating with more people. They are dealing with issues that you may not be aware of. Keep in mind, what we model for them now is what they will model for their kids. The following excerpt is from a book entitled, To A Child LOVE Is Spelled T-I-M-E. No amount of love is too much for any child, and you cannot separate love from time spent together. The fact that you feel love for your child does not guarantee they feel loved. They need to constantly hear you tell them "I love you" and see your love demonstrated in the small details of life. Give your child the best gift of all - yourself. That's what they really want and need. "

Gratitude - it's all in your perspective

Sat, 02 Nov 2019 20:10:00 GMT

November is National Gratitude Month and also our character focus this month. Having gratitude means we express humility and thankfulness for the people, opportunities, gifts, and talents afforded us. The following story I believe speaks volumes about having a mindset of gratitude. The year was 1933. The Great Depression had reached its lowest point as nearly 15 million Americans, 20 percent of the population, were unemployed and over half of the nation’s banks had failed. Others who remained employed had their wages reduced which also decreased their buying power. Soup kitchens, breadlines, and a growing population of homeless people were common across many cities and towns in the US. Despite all of these challenges, many Americans learned how to make do with what they had. They developed an attitude of gratitude and learned how to be grateful for what they did have and not what they were going without. We have learned throughout our history that it’s not what you don’t have, but what you do with what you have that counts the most. That type of perspective only happens when you have gratitude. Folks during the Great Depression may have eaten the same type of meal for days on end, but they learned to be grateful that they had food. Marty Bryan, age 84, from Columbus, Ohio shared, “I lived through The Great Depression and can remember eating beans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner when I was four years old but at least we had something to eat. Others didn’t.” Another resident from Columbus, Ohio, Maxine Bartelt, age 87, recalls. “Eating was different in those days, too. We didn’t come to a table and complain because the food wasn’t what we liked. There were not many choices. We ate or went without. Some days bread and gravy tasted very good.” The point here is this. We all have challenges and struggles we have to deal with from time to time. And it can be easy to get down because of those challenges. But it’s during those challenging times where a focus on being truly grateful for what we have will get us through. Because no matter what issues we may have, there is always someone out there in the world who has even greater challenges. Take a moment right now and think about who or what you are grateful for in your life. Have you shown appreciation for what you’re grateful for? Have you told others that you are grateful for them? For me personally, I am truly grateful, thankful, and joyful that I have the opportunity to serve as principal of Lee-Davis High School every day. I am grateful and appreciative that I have a supportive and loving family at home and a loving, supportive staff I get to work with every day. So for the entire month of November, I encourage you to take the gratitude challenge and post on Twitter and Instagram about someone or something you are grateful for everyday this month. Use #gratefulLD.

Be brave and move forward

Sun, 27 Oct 2019 21:04:00 GMT

Nelson Mandela said, "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." This week spend some time with your teens reflecting on this quote. As adults, we know that life will be challenging at times and there were fears we to face and conquer. Share your story of overcoming with them so they too can learn how to be brave and conquer their fears.

The courageous story of Robert Smalls

Sun, 20 Oct 2019 16:07:00 GMT

The year was 1862. To be more exact, it was May 12, 1862 when a 22-year-old slave by the name of Robert Smalls would courageously pull off one of the greatest escapes to freedom in history. At that time, Union Naval forces had created a blockade around Charleston, South Carolina and Confederate forces had dug in to defend its coastal waters. Robert Smalls was a mulatto slave that had been sailing those waters since his early teens. He was a “wheelman” aboard the gunboat CSS Planter, a cotton steamer that had been heavily armed to go out into battle the next morning. The Planter was commanded by three white officers and had a crew of eight slaves including Smalls. Smalls was intelligent, resourceful, and a skillful navigator yearning to free himself and his family. On May 12, 1862 he saw an opportunity to do just that. Against regulations the three white officers disembarked the ship for the night, leaving Smalls and crew behind which shows how much they trusted Smalls and the crew. After the officers were gone, Smalls shared his plan with the crew and went into action. At 2 a.m. on May 13, Smalls put on the captain’s uniform and straw hat to look the part . Then he and his skeleton crew hoisted the South Carolina and Confederate flags as decoys and begin easing the Planter out of the dock right past General Ripley’s headquarters. He first stops at West Atlantic Wharf to pick up his wife and children, four other women, three men, and a child. There were five Confederate harbor points Smalls had to guide ship through. Over time he had studied every signal given by his Captain so he was well prepared for this moment. At approximately 4:30 a.m. Smalls had sailed past the last point at Fort Sumter when the alarms sounded, but by that time the Planter was out of gun range. He had one more obstacle to overcome, the US Naval forces. After sailing past Fort Sumter, they pulled down the two flags and hoisted a white bed sheet brought on board by his wife as a sign of surrender. However, it was still before sunrise and John Frederick Nickels, the acting captain of the USS Onward, could not see the white flag, so he ordered for the “ports to open” meaning prepare to fire. Just before the order to fire, the sun came up and one lookout spotted the white “flag” preserving the Planter and her crew. Smalls’ turned the ship over to the US Navy. His escape plan had succeeded. Smalls would share with Naval intelligence the captain’s code book containing Confederate signals and a map of the mines and torpedoes laid in Charleston’s harbor. His shared his extensive knowledge of the Charleston waterways and military configurations. His valuable information allowed for Union forces to take over Coles Island and its string of batteries without a fight. Smalls would not only gain freedom for his family, but would go to serve in the U.S. Navy until 1968 when he began a career in politics. His first stint was in the South Carolina House of Representatives, then the state senate. In 1875, he would be elected to the U.S House of Representatives for South Carolina’s 5th district and then the 7th district until 1887. While Smalls exhibited great courage that night of the escape, he had been preparing for that night long before. He had the courage and the foresight to prepare for that moment. He took courageous steps every day knowing the uncertainty and the dangers he would face. Yet he planned for it anyway. A lesson from his story can be summed up in a quote from an unknown source. “Sometimes life can be challenging and you can feel as though you are not getting anywhere. However, you have to remember that every courageous step counts and if you take small steps every day, one day you will get there.”

The value of belief

Sun, 13 Oct 2019 22:43:00 GMT

Henry Ford, found of Ford Motor Company, said, "Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right." Belief is self-fulfilling. In the mid-1990s, I studied and earned a master's degree in sport psychology from the University of Virginia. I was intrigued to learn that what separated the good athletes from the great athletes was their mindset and their belief, not their physical abilities and skills. But this doesn't just apply to athletes, it applies to everyone in the game of life. Alexander Lockhart writes in his book The Portable Pep Talk, the single most important attitude affecting human performance is belief in oneself. Anything you believe with feeling becomes your reality, turning the mental into the physical. The more intense belief, the more likely it will be true for you. When you believe without a shadow of a doubt that you can achieve great success, you develop an attitude that nothing can stop you. You develop habits consistent with what you desire to achieve and lose the habits that are inconsistent with what you want. Your success in life is in direct proportion to your daily habits which feed into your beliefs. Gary Newell, founder and president of Outreach America, said, "people will doubt their beliefs, but believe their doubts." To turn that around, overcome your doubts by developing positive daily habits that will feed your belief and then have the stick-to-itiveness to never relinquish that belief.

A story of courage

Sun, 06 Oct 2019 12:27:00 GMT

The year was 1874 when the United States Lifesaving Service, a forerunner of the U.S. Coast Guard came to the Outer Banks. That year they built the first seven of 29 Lifesaving Stations in North Carolina. Political appointees first ran the stations for the Service, but they were soon replaced with more competent personnel regardless of race. Richard Etheridge, a black Civil War veteran living on the north end of Roanoke Island joined the Service at Oregon Inlet in 1875. Just five years later, Etheridge was appointed keeper of the Pea Island Station on what is now the north end of Hatteras Island. First LIeutenant Charles Shoemaker, who recommended Etheridge, stated that he was “one of the best surfmen on this part of the coast of North Carolina.” When white subordinates quit, Etheridge recruited fellow black watermen from Roanoke Island. Pea Island became the only all-black lifesaving station in the country, a distinction it kept until it was decommissioned in 1947. Soon after Etheridge's appointment, the station burned down. Determined to execute his duties with expert commitment, Etheridge supervised the construction of a new station on the original site. He also developed rigorous lifesaving drills that enabled his crew to tackle all lifesaving tasks. His station earned the reputation of "one of the tautest on the Carolina Coast," with its keeper well-known as one of the most courageous and ingenious lifesavers in the Service. The courage of this man come to the forefront in 1896. On October 11, 1896, Etheridge's rigorous training drills proved to be invaluable. The three-masted schooner, the E.S. Newman, was caught in a terrifying storm. En route from Stonningham, Connecticut to Norfolk, Virginia, the vessel was blown 100 miles south off course and came ashore on the beach, two miles south of the Pea Island station. The storm was so severe that Etheridge had suspended normal beach patrols that day. But the alert eyes of one of his surfman, Theodore Meekins, saw the first distress flare and he immediately notified Etheridge. Etheridge gathered his crew and launched the surfboat. Battling the strong tide and sweeping currents, the dedicated lifesavers struggled to make their way to a point opposite the schooner, only to find there was no dry land. The daring, quick-witted Etheridge tied two of his strongest surfmen together and connected them to shore by a long line. They fought their way through the roaring waves and finally reached the schooner. The seemingly inexhaustible Pea Island crew members journeyed through the perilous waters ten times and rescued the entire crew of the E.S. Newman. The courage of Etheridge and his crew that day was immeasurable. They stepped up when others that they never knew before needed their help. Etheridge was also courageous by stepping up to take command of the Lifesaving Station during an era dominated by white men. When all of his subordinates quit, he could have given up and moved on, but that was not in his DNA. He had the courage to keep moving forward because he knew the value of his work. What is the moral of this story? Courage is about stepping up. Stepping up to help others. Stepping up to add value to other people you may not even know. When you have the courage to put the needs of others first, you not only add value to their life, but you also add value to your own.

Adding Value to Others

Sun, 29 Sep 2019 21:56:00 GMT

John Maxwell, a noted author and leadership coach, said," People who add value to others do so intentionally. I say that because to add value, leaders must give of themselves, and rarely that occurs by accident." One simple way to add value to others is by lifting people up with your words. Your words have the power to raise people up or tear them down. Most people to some extent struggle with self-esteem. Use kind, encouraging, and uplifting words when speaking with others. You never know in what moment those words will be just what they need.

Daily habits determine your success

Sun, 22 Sep 2019 13:12:00 GMT

I completed a book in early August entitled The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. One comment that stuck out to me was, "Simple daily disciplines - little productive actions, repeated consistently over time - add up to the difference between failure and success." We are all creatures of habit. Some habits are good for us. Some are not so good for us. For instance, I had gotten into the habit of not getting physical activity every day. So I made a commitment to walk at least one intentional mile every day. Since Aug. 2 when I made the decision to do this, I have walked at least 1.5 miles daily and as much as 5 on some occasions. For real change to happen for me, I had to make it one of my daily disciplines or habits. Now this is not earth-shattering as there are people out there who exercise way more than I do. However, over the course of time this one action will greatly benefit my physical and mental health. I encourage you to take an inventory of what your daily habits are and determine which ones you should keep and which ones need to change.

Kindness matters

Sun, 15 Sep 2019 17:19:00 GMT

Being kind is an intentional act that adds value to the life of other people. The following is an excerpt from The Portable Pep Talk by Alexander Lockhart that "speaks" to the heart of kindness. Wouldn't it be a different world if we could learn to become more caring and more unselfish. If someone were to pay you ten cents for every kind word or act that you said or did and collect five cents for every kind word or act, would you be rich or poor? Sharing kindness with others is the most rewarding and fulfilling act you can do. Kindness is always returned to the one who sends it out. You reap just what you sow. What you do to and for others tends to come back to you. It has been said that kindness is a hard thing to give away because it keeps coming back to the giver. By helping other people and by doing kind things for them, you will experience an inward satisfaction and joy that is immeasurable. There is nothing more comforting, more gratifying than knowing that through a kind word or act you made someone else's day a little brighter or someone else's life a little easier. A kind and generous act will go further, last longer, and be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away. Check out this one minute video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNXkV1UkGkE, We Rise by Lifting Others.

Perspective - "Get to" vs "Have to"

Sun, 08 Sep 2019 20:50:00 GMT

We are typically motivated by what we "get to do," because they are desired opportunities. We get to watch our favorite shows on cable, NetFlix, or YouTube. We get to hang out with friends. We get to take a nap on a Sunday afternoon. Things that we "get to do" often make us happy. In an Aug. 2, 2018 article of Business Insider, 17 Seriously Disturbing Facts about Your Job, the author wrote that 80% of US workers were dissatisfied with their jobs. Translation: Something they "have to do" versus something they "get to do." When you "have to do" something, there is less motivation and desire toward the task at hand. However, it really comes down to your perspective. Check out and share this video with your students, The Power of Perception - Change Your Perspective Change Your Life. The more our students develop the perspective that learning is something they "get to do," the more impact the learning will have on their lives.

Perspective is Everything

Sun, 01 Sep 2019 21:00:00 GMT

In 1990, tennis champion Andre Agassi was the face of Canon digital cameras as the company coined the phrase Image is Everything. While that phrase popularized the digital camera of that time, I would like to popularize that Perspective is Everything. Perspective is the way in you see something. Perspective drives your outlook which drives your thoughts, your decisions, and ultimately your actions. How you interpret what you see determines the manner in which you respond to what you see. I had the privilege of hearing Dr. Adolph Brown (@docspeaks) on August 8 at our Hanover County Public Schools Equity Day professional development. His message about how kids carry around two backpacks solidified for me that Perspective is Everything when it comes to working with students. The first backpack is everything visible a kid brings to school in a "backpack," notebooks, pens or pencils, textbooks, etc. The second backpack is what we don't see; what's happening with them on the inside. We don't always know what life challenges each kid may have which why it is so important for us as adults to help them unpack that second backpack. The more we help each kid get through life's challenges, the more each kid becomes empowered to get more out of the tools in the first backpack. At Lee-Davis, our goal is to maintain perspective on our mission: To empower all learners to be successful. A perspective where ALL means ALL.

The Knowledge of Life

Sun, 09 Jun 2019 16:52:00 GMT

The following is an excerpt from a book entitled The Portable Pep Talk by Alexander Lockhart. I have read and referenced this book many times over the last several years. I think it only fitting to share this with our graduates who are heading out into what I call the "pre-adulting" phase of their lives. It has been said that knowledge is power. The truth is that applied knowledge is power. It's not how much knowledge you acquire that counts, but how you use it. It's not what you know but what you do with what you know that produces results. Your knowledge should be put to use in a what that will enrich your life and the lives of others. You have the ability to perform at exceptional levels in at least one area of your life, given that you activate your thought processes through acquired knowledge. To move ahead of your current conditions, you must expand your current level of knowledge. Although we have the unlimited potential to learn, many of us only use a fraction of our minds. Think smarter, think bigger, and commit yourself to lifelong learning. Life will be your greatest teacher and the place where you can acquire the greatest knowledge. Learn from it!

Family loyalty

Sun, 02 Jun 2019 00:54:00 GMT

Loyalty means we demonstrate pride and allegiance to our country, community, school, family, and peers. In short, it means to show you are there for someone else at all times good and bad, up and down. The following is a short personal story about my family’s history that speaks to the very essence of loyalty. The date was February 4, 1945. The crew of the USS Barbel - ss316, a submarine, was struck by bombs from Japanese aircraft several miles off coast of the Philippines and all were lost, killed in action. This event hits home for me because my great uncle Ellis Henry Stevens was a Motor Machinist’s Mate 2nd class aboard that submarine. Now, I never met my great uncle, but his youngest sister, my great aunt Mae Stevens made sure I knew who he was when I was growing up as a kid. She often told me stories about him from her childhood and read many of the letters he wrote home while he was in service. My great uncle was a loyal serviceman to our country, but he was also fiercely loyal to the family back home. He was the oldest of four children and joined the Navy in 1939 at the beginning of World War II. During his time in the service, he would write home to his family on a regular basis and would wire money home monthly so that my great aunt Mae, the baby of the family, could stay in school until she graduated. My grandfather and his other brother worked the farms to make ends meet and never finished school while my great aunt was able to stay in school. Shortly after his death, his family received the Purple Heart for his sacrifice and service to our country. My great aunt Mae would go on to graduate high school thanks to my great uncle’s loyalty to family. Regardless of how you define family, the following quote from film director Mario Puzo sums it up best. “The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, lies in its loyalty to each other.”

Words of wisdom - Perseverance

Sun, 26 May 2019 21:28:00 GMT

The following quote is from Marie Curie, a Polish and naturalized-French physicist who conducted pioneering research on radio activity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and the first person and only woman to win twice. She was also the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different sciences; physics and chemistry. "Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained." When you 're faced with obstacles, keep the faith that you can get through them and keep working through them because your best life is on the other side of the obstacles you overcome.

Sticking it out

Sat, 18 May 2019 19:27:00 GMT

Winston Churchill once said, "Never give up, never, never give up." Many times people stop pursuing a goal or a life's dream right before they would have succeeded. Before you start pursuing your goals or your dreams, make the decision that you will keep chipping away at your goals and dreams until they are a reality. There will be times that stopping and reevaluating your situation may be necessary. You may have have to find another route or another approach, but your ability to "stick it out" is what it will take to overcome the challenges and setbacks you will face. The more consistent and persistent you are in achieving your goals and dreams, the more confidence and determination you will become. Dan Jansen was an Olympic speed skater who for two consecutive Winter Olympic Games (1988 and 1992) was the favorite to win Gold in both the 500m and 1000m races. He held world records in those events, but came away empty-handed both times. Determined to capture Gold, a lifelong dream of his, he continued to train and came back in 1994 for the Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer (Norway). He was favored to win the 500m race as he set another world record just the year before, but he finished 8th. It came down to one final attempt in the 1000m race where he beat the odds to capture his one and only Gold medal and set another world record. Had Jansen stopped after the 1992 Olympics, he would have never realized his dreams. He chose to continue his journey until his dream was a reality. He chose to stick it out.

Try one more time

Sun, 12 May 2019 21:52:00 GMT

Jack Canfield is the creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul Series. He’s also known as one of the best motivational speakers, professional coach, and an inspiring author who published The Success Principles. Jack and his co-author Mark Victor Hansen pitched the original Chicken Soup for the Soul to over 130 different publishers. But none of them were interested and said no one “wants to read 100 inspirational stories.” After over 100 attempts to get published, their agent dropped them as well, but they were determined to get the book published. They never gave up and continued to persevere until their book was finally picked up by a small publisher in Florida. Now there are over 250 Chicken Soup for the Soul Books and over 500 MILLION copies sold worldwide. If they had given up these inspirational stories wouldn’t have been read across the world and they would not have been the success story they are today. Just imagine if Canfield quit after the 129th publisher said “no.”? Where would his life be now? Sometimes it just takes one more time.

The perseverance of FDR

Sun, 05 May 2019 13:18:00 GMT

The following story is about Franklin D. Roosevelt and the challenges he faced en route to the presidency is a prime example of perseverance. The year was 1921, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who would go on to become the 32nd president of the United States was diagnosed with polio. A disease that would leave him paralyzed from the waist down as well as cause other health problems. FDR, a democrat, had served as a member of the New York Senate and Assistant Secretary of the Navy up to that point. He was not about to let polio keep him from continuing his career in politics. He had more that he wanted to achieve. While he worked on rehabilitating despite the lack of a cure for polio, he established a rehabilitation center in in Warm Springs, Georgia in 1925. He never gave up the hope that he could walk again, and he tried to walk and never gave up all of his life. He never let polio stand in the way of his dream to be President, so he persevered through his disease to eventually become the 32nd President of the United States. Prior to becoming President, at the urging of a political colleague and despite his physical limitations, FDR ran for governor of New York and would win the office by a mere one percent margin in 1928. As New York was the most populous state at the time, serving as governor would set him up for the next presidential election. FDR would serve two terms as governor before running for President in 1932. When FDR was President during the Great Depression he did not let polio stop him from opening up banks, getting more jobs for people, making the New Deal, and other things that lessened the effects of the Great Depression. As World War II started, he was still battling polio and other illnesses, but that didn’t stop him either. His cause and purpose as a leader kept him going. His response to Japan’s attack at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 reignited America’s resolve and courage and America quickly realized it could win in this war. FDR was absolutely the epitome for perseverance. He had the grit to fight through polio, the Great Depression, and World War II to lead America back to its feet. During his fourth term as president, polio finally got the best of FDR as he passed away April 12, 1945 at the end of World War II. FDR had accomplished his mission. You see perseverance is all about your mindset. It’s about having an unwavering faith, a determination, and a strong belief in yourself that no matter what obstacles you come up against, you can get through it. In life, you will encounter many challenges and possibly defeats one way or another. Like FDR, you can persevere through those challenges and defeats to achieve your life’s mission if you just have the fortitude to keep fighting for it. And never, ever give up.

Theodore Roosevelt on Courage and Perseverance

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 00:06:00 GMT

The following is an excerpt from a speech given by the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, on April 23, 1910 after he had left office. "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiams, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." This part of his speech was widely successful and would spread throughout the world. It was an encouragement to those who wanted to make the world a better place and acknowledging the courage and perseverance it would take to do so. These words can apply to today as well. The question is who will have the courage and perseverance to make our world a better place?

Poem - Compassion

Sun, 21 Apr 2019 20:42:00 GMT

The following poem is from the poetic works of Sonji Rush and Pocket Poetry Publishing. Come into my heart and fell the depths of me Only when you have the depth to see Many teardrops falling upon my face Pouring streams of sadness in this well known place Ask me if you feel the pain inside Say you do if you then realize Sometimes pain comes from love so true It comes from joy and sadness too Only say it if you know its real Never if you cannot feel as I feel.

More compassion from World War II

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 01:32:00 GMT

The following story was taken from warhistoryonline.com. In the cold skies over far northern Germany, planes were battling it out in freezing temperatures. On the ground, near Bremen, an accomplished pilot with 22 kills, Franz Stigler, was refueling his plane, a Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6, which was at risk of overheating because of a bullet in its radiator. Stigler was watching the air, and he saw a tattered U.S. bomber so beaten up it could barely fly. The plane, piloted by Charles Brown of West Virginia, had sustained the damage to the aircraft’s nose, and with two engines disabled it was slowing down. Brown lost his position in the formation and had been left behind to endure enemy fire. Another engine went at that moment. Internal oxygen was depleting, and half the rudder was gone too. Electrical systems were failing. His weapons had jammed, he’d lost part of the nose and an elevator, and most of his crew were now injured. Brown himself suffered a wound in his right shoulder. He had to endure the pain because the morphine on board had frozen and he could not radio for help as the radio had been destroyed. Stigler took off from below and flew to Brown’s plane. The exterior damage to the aircraft allowed him to see inside and the crew was suffering. Stigler was a fighter pilot with integrity and compassion. As a young pilot, a commanding officer had told him, “You are fighter pilots first, last, always. If I ever hear of any of you shooting at someone in a parachute, I’ll shoot you myself.” Stigler tried to direct them to a German airfield, hoping that they would land and surrender. Brown and his crew did not understand and flew on. He tried to guide them to neutral territory in Sweden, but again, they didn’t understand. Stigler moved to a formation on Brown’s port side wing to protect him from further German fire. Brown told his crew to aim the dorsal turret gunner at Stigler to warn him off, but not to fire. The brave and compassionate Stigler remained on the bomber’s wing all the way to the coast to get the bomber safely over open water. Now that the bomber was safe, Stigler looks into the bomber’s cabin, saluted Brown and his crew, and flew back into German airspace. Brown was able to make it back to England where he reported the incident to his officers. He was told not to repeat the story. The officers seemed to want to prevent their men from having positive feelings about enemy pilots. Brown later said, “Someone decided you can’t be human and be flying in a German cockpit.” Stigler kept his mouth shut too. His act of bravery and compassion would have put him at risk of execution. Many years later, in 1986, Brown began a search for Stigler. He finally found him in 1990, living in Canada. The two formed a friendship that lasted until their deaths, both in 2008. This story is about showing kindness and compassion. Give your kindness away without expecting anything in return. At its core, compassion is about paying attention to the present moment with a loving attitude and taking action. The German fighter pilot allowed his heart to be greater than his fear for persecution for aiding the enemy. His compassion saved a life and would later form a bond of friendship.

A story of compassion

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 21:22:00 GMT

The year was 1944 and it was Christmas Eve, during the Battle of the Bulge in Germany. A young boy, and his mother were alone in their forested cabin, safe from the icy cold, and they thought, from the American enemy soldiers hiding in the countryside. Mrs. Vincken and her son, Fritz, heard someone at the door. She opened it to find a group of US soldiers. One had been wounded. She set aside her fears of execution for helping the enemy and let the soldiers in her house. She did not speak English, and they spoke no German, but they were able to talk in French. Not long after the soldiers had settled in, there was another knock at the door. Mrs. Vincken was afraid that it might be German soldiers, so she opened the door carefully. She was right. There was a very high likelihood that if the German soldiers had no mercy, that she would be shot for harboring the Americans, even if it had been only for those few moments. The brave woman stepped outside and told the German soldiers that she would serve them a hot dinner but that it was Christmas Eve, and she had guests. She asked the Germans to leave their guns in her shed because, even though they might not like her visitors, Christmas Eve was a night of peace. She then took the guns of the Americans and hid them away as well. The German soldiers, having honored her request, stepped inside. The atmosphere was awkward at first, until one of the German soldiers, a medic, began work on dressing the wounds of one of the Americans. Fritz Vincken recounted the incident in an interview with WII History Network: “Then we added more ingredients to our stew and invited these enemies to sit down together for dinner. One of the German soldiers, an ex-medical student, fixed the wounded American and then Mother read from the Bible and declared that there would be at least one night of peace in this war — Christmas night in the Ardennes Forest. After a good night’s rest, they said their goodbyes and went on their way. The German soldiers told the Americans, which way their camp was and gave them a compass to find their way.” Fritz credits his mother’s personality and generosity when asked why the German soldiers did not turn her in. “I think it was my mom’s personality and her persuasiveness to have them rest for one peaceful night. There was a place to stay, hot food, and shelter from the cold and they appreciated that.” Mrs. Vincken never saw any of those soldiers again, but Fritz eventually was reunited with two of the Americans. He now lives in Hawaii. Said Fritz, “Many years have gone since that bloodiest of all wars, but the memories of that night in the Ardennes never left me. The inner strength of a single woman, who, by her wits and intuition, prevented potential bloodshed, taught me the practical meaning of the words: ‘Goodwill Toward Mankind’ . . . I remember mother and those seven young soldiers, who met as enemies and parted as friends, right in the middle of the battle of the Bulge.” Compassion arises through empathy and is characterized by actions. Mrs. Vincken’s compassion that night brought comfort and peace to a small group of men known to be enemies. Her example not only had an impact on those soldiers, but it would have a profound and lasting effect on her son. You see a simple act of compassion such as providing a hot meal to strangers, showing a smile, or just giving a kind word to someone you don’t even know can make a world of difference in someone’s life and in yours!

When you change your thinking...

Sun, 24 Mar 2019 17:02:00 GMT

When you change your thinking... you change your beliefs; When you change your beliefs, you change your expectations; When you change your expectations, you change your attitude; When you change your attitude, you change your behavior; When you change your behavior, you change your performance; When you change your performance, YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFE! Taken from the book, The Portable Pep Talk by Alexander Lockhart

Confidence: Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel

Sun, 17 Mar 2019 20:24:00 GMT

The following is a poem by Tai Shona Britto, 2014. Confidence There is always light at the end of the tunnel. Just like if you looked through the eye of a funnel. It doesn't stop there, it goes through and through. Just like you must push yourself to do. Your life isn't over just because you aren't winning. It's time to switch the game, and start from the beginning. Learn from your lessons, don't make the same mistakes. No body said living this life, was going to be a piece of cake. Get out of this rut, don't stay there too long. That's not your new home, and that's not where you belong. Think of the rights that you do, don't dwell on the wrongs. You are better than the Darkness, You are the sun shining strong.

Strategies for raising a confident teen

Sun, 10 Mar 2019 18:40:00 GMT

Our teens are constantly exposed to a social presence that can create unrealistic comparisons about lifestyle body image, and acceptable norms. Some of these comparisons may lead to self-doubt and a lack of self-confidence, but there are strategies to combat this. Listed below are eight strategies to raising a confident teen: Teach your teen to balance self-acceptance with self-improvement Praise your teen's effort instead of outcome Teach assertiveness skills Encourage your teen to explore new opportunities Model confidence Build self-worth on a healthy foundation Balance freedom with guidance Help your teen develop positive self-talk Check out the full article from verywellfamily.com.

The confidence of Michael Jordan

Sun, 03 Mar 2019 12:51:00 GMT

The following story about Michael Jordan’s journey in basketball speaks to the essence of confidence. The year was 1978, Michael Jordan tried out for his high school’s varsity basketball team, but at 5’11 he was told he was too short to play at that level as a sophomore and remained on junior varsity. He worked constantly on his game to improve his skills and during his JV season would score 40 or more points in several games. Over the next summer, he would grow four inches. He spent countless hours working on his basketball skills. The next two years of high school he would average over 25 points per game, over 12 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. He was named a high school All-American and played in the annual McDonald’s All-American game where he scored 30 points. He was highly recruited by several major universities with prominent basketball programs such as Duke, Syracuse, and Virginia, but ultimately landed at North Carolina. He had a phenomenal freshmen year. He would hit the game winning shot against Georgetown in the national championship game and was named ACC Freshman of the Year. The work he put in to honing his skills is what gave him the confidence to take that monumental shot against Georgetown. Jordan later described this shot as the major turning point in his basketball career. Never being satisfied, Jordan continued to put in the work to get stronger and more consistent in overall skills. The next two years, he was selected to the NCAA All-America First Team. He would be honored with the Naismith and Wooden awards in 1984, his last year of college basketball. That same spring Jordan was selected as the third pick in the NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. He would go on to a storied career in the NBA winning 6 NBA titles with the Bulls and several Player of the Year awards. He is arguably the greatest player of all-time. What separated Michael from other players was the level of confidence he developed. He worked constantly on perfecting his skills, growing his knowledge of the game, and enhancing his thought processes. Because he had worked so much on his game, he knew he was going to make the next shot or make the next stop against an opposing player. He learned to turn failures into positives. One of his most notable quotes describes how he thinks, “I have failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” He developed a perspective that his failures were really stepping stones to another level of success and his confidence grew as he overcame his setbacks and failures. What we learn from Michael is that confidence is linked to the actions we take in developing and enhancing our skills sets. Regardless of what skill sets you’re trying to develop, it will take real concerted and consistent efforts on your part to develop that kind of confidence.

7 Life Lessons from Michael Jordan

Sun, 24 Feb 2019 22:10:00 GMT

I grew up loving Carolina basketball. My aunt was a college basketball official and I used to travel with her frequently all over Virginia and North Carolina for games. She instilled in me a love for the game as well as Carolina basketball. I loved watching them on TV. In late March of 1982, I was 12 years old and distinctly remember being in our den at home watching Carolina take on Georgetown in the NCAA finals. It was a back and forth game filled with great plays and great players: James Worthy, Sam Perkins, Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing. I had to name at least one player from Georgetown! I remember being in awe watching Michael Jordan take the shot that put Carolina ahead late in the game. I couldn't believe that a freshman would take that kind of shot, but Carolina fans everywhere were glad he did. As you know, Carolina held on to win the game. Fast forward to the summer of 1985. My aunt paid for me to go to UNC basketball school and it was there that I got to meet Michael Jordan in person. He had just completed his rookie year with the Chicago Bulls. Again, I was just in awe of him: how he carried himself, how he spoke to us, and of course how much "flight" he could get even on an outdoor blacktop court. He treated us with such respect and appreciation. Though I was a Lakers fan in those days, I still followed MJ. If there was a book on him or articles on him, I couldn't wait to read them. When VHS tapes were produced on him, I would save my money just to get as many as I could. Come Fly With Me was one of the best. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him as a basketball player and the amazing feats he would go on to accomplish, but as I got older I became more intrigued with his mindset. How did he think at such a high level? So much can be learned from his mindset of having a positive mental attitude. I know he's not perfect, but there is much I learned from his seven life lessons. Share these with your teenager. 1. Don't be scared to try. 2. Leave fear behind. 3. Focus on finding a solution. 4. Attitude is everything. 5. Stay focused. 6. Put in the work. 7. You can't do it alone. Check out the full article 7 Life Lessons from Michael Jordan.

The initiative of a Leading Lady

Sun, 17 Feb 2019 20:34:00 GMT

The year was 1904 when Mary McLeod Bethune founded Florida’s Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute for Girls. Mary was born in 1875 and is one of 17 children. Her parents had grown up as slaves, but she did not let her background keep her from getting an education. After attending Bible college in Chicago, she dedicated herself to educating others at schools in Georgia and South Carolina. Her work as an educator led her to found the school for girls which would merge with Cookman Institute for Men in 1923 and become Bethune-Cookman College, one of the historically black colleges that still exists today. Mary was a firm believer in education as a path to racial equality. She focused on vocational education and social activism. In 1935 she founded the National Council for Negro Women. Her work in education and the initiative she took was noticed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt who in 1936 appointed her as the director of the Division of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration. She would remain in that post until 1943 when she returned to her school in Daytona Beach. In 1974, she was honored with a memorial in Lincoln Park in Washington D.C. In 1985, she was featured in the U.S. Postage stamp. One never knows where his/her initiative and work may lead. Mary McLeod Bethune found her purpose in education. She had the initiative and drive to educate others and provide opportunities for growth especially for African American women. Mary’s positive impact throughout the world is a result of a life dedicated in service to others. Her impact is from the compound effect of a great work which started by taking initiative.

Taking initiative to create change

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 22:58:00 GMT

The year was 1947, when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers. A talented and versatile player, Robinson won the National League Rookie of the Year award his first season, and helped the Dodgers to the National League championship – the first of his six trips to the World Series. In 1949 Robinson won the league MVP award, and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. Despite his skill, Robinson faced insults and threats because of his race. When general manager Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers offered Robinson the chance to break organized baseball’s unwritten color barrier, the talented ballplayer not only accepted, he also agreed to Rickey’s condition: that he not respond to the abuse he would face. For two years Robinson endured abuse both verbal and physical, but he stuck to his word until 1949 when he finally broke his silence. Robinson become an outspoken and controversial opponent of racial discrimination. He took the initiative to step up for the rights of others and led other players to urge baseball to use its economic power to help desegregate Southern towns which is where most spring training camps took place. Jackie Robinson provided a important example of successful desegregation. Upon his retirement in 1957, he took that same initiative to increase employment opportunities for African Americans. Robinson took the initiative and did the work to bring about change. His success encouraged the integration of professional football, basketball, and tennis. His work reminds me of two quotes from Mahatma Ghandi: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” “The future depends on what you do today.” It takes initiative to get started toward making change. The initiatives we take today, will create the change we seek for our future, our kids’ future, and the future of those that will follow.

The power of initiative

Sun, 03 Feb 2019 18:07:00 GMT

We generally think of initiative as recognizing and doing what needs to be done before being asked. And that's true. But initiative is so much more. Initiative believes in the possibilities of opportunity; it sees opportunity where others see barriers. Initiative means going the extra mile. The following story is a great example of how taking initiative can change the course of one’s life and the lives of others. The year was 1949. Dorothy Johnson Vaughan became the first African American supervisor at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (the predecessor of NASA) when she was promoted to manager of the West Area Computers. This work group was made up mostly of African American female mathematicians who worked at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Vaughan’s title opened the door for her to collaborate with other well-known computer operators and gave her access to see future plans of the organization. In 1958, the NACA officially became NASA. During that time, Vaughan realized that NASA was going to move into machine computing with computer programming. They began bringing in large computers from IBM. Seeing that these computers would likely replace her and her team of mathematicians, she took the initiative to learn FORTRAN programming language. She not only taught herself this complex language, but she also took the time to teach her team. In 1961 she officially became supervisor of the digital programming center and brought her team with her. She made such significant contributions to the space program through her work on the Scout Launch Vehicle Program and the launch of John Glenn into orbit. Had Dorothy Vaughan not taken the initiative to teach herself and others this new language, she and her team would have been fired. The Scout Launch Vehicle Program may have taken longer to get off the ground. It may have taken NASA longer to get man into orbit. Her initiative changed the course of her life, her team, and essentially that of the NASA space program. Vaughan’s work and the work of Mary Jackson and Katherine Johnson were featured in the 2016 movie Hidden Figures. What can we learn from Vaughan’s story? She saw an opportunity and seized the moment by taking initiative. She saw possibilities where others may have seen barriers and she went the extra mile to affect change. As I mentioned earlier, there are four and half months until the end of the school year. I know I’m stating the obvious, but seniors this is your final four and half months of high school. As you all work toward the end of the year, think about where you can take more initiative either in school or in life. See the possibilities, work to overcome your barriers, and go the extra mile to set yourself up for success.

Taking responsibility

Sun, 27 Jan 2019 18:27:00 GMT

Author of Requiem for a Dream, Hubert Selby, Jr. said, "Eventually we all have to accept full and total responsibility for our actions, everything we have done, and have not done." We often tell our kids that they are totally responsible for the actions they take, but what about the actions they don't take? The quote from Selby above answers that question. Kids who choose not to complete an assignment or follow through on a promise they made to a friend are responsible for their non-actions. This is really no different for us as adults. If we don't file our taxes, there are potential legal consequences for our non-action. If we don't go to work and let someone know we're not coming in, we could lose our jobs. Our kids will continue to learn from the actions we take and don't take. The more we effectively model responsibility, the more our kids will learn about responsibility.

Responsibility and value

Sun, 13 Jan 2019 22:03:00 GMT

Harry Potter author JK Rowling said, "I think you have a moral responsibility when you've been given far more that you need, to do wise things with it and give intelligently." This all ties back to adding value to the lives of other people. It's an intentional act because you make a conscious choice to give to others. During the holidays, we have several clubs that organize drives to provide for families in need. I am so proud of our kids and their sponsors who take responsibility for adding value to others. Seeing the smiles on the faces of kids and their parents is priceless.

Personal responsibility

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 21:45:00 GMT

Author Thomas B. Smith said, "If it is to be, it's up to me." I've often said to students, "At the end of the day, it's going to be your life. So what are you going to do to have the life you want to have?" I say this to get them thinking about taking more personal responsibility for their future. While we as the adults in their lives are here to guide them, lead them, and facilitate their learning, it is up to them to accept the guidance, the direction, and the knowledge we have to offer. Ultimately it is their responsibility to take what they learn and put it into action. How can you continue to help in this process? Ask your teens to reflect more on the skill sets they are learning in addition to the content. Ask them how they can apply what they're learning to their lives. In an ever-changing world, it is the skill sets they learn that will be most beneficial. They already have 24/7 access to knowledge.

The gift of responsibility

Sun, 30 Dec 2018 22:41:00 GMT

A story about responsibility... The year was 1912 and all the talk in the world, especially in Europe was about the Titanic, a luxury ship designed to ferry people back and forth across the Atlantic. However, on its maiden voyage, the unsinkable Titanic struck an iceberg just before midnight on April 14, 1912 and would subsequently sink to the bottom of the Atlantic at 2:20 a.m. April 15. There were 2,224 passengers on board with over 900 crew. But, there were only enough lifeboats to carry about 1100 people. The decision-makers for Titanic irresponsibly decided that because the ship was considered unsinkable, they didn’t need as many. They opted for more deck space rather than keeping the safety of all passengers and crew in mind. That decision cost lives as over 1500 people perished that night. Of the 900 crew members, 25 of them were engineers responsible for maintaining the inner-workings of the ship including the pumps designed to control any possible flooding. As the Titanic was sinking, passengers were being loaded onto the lifeboats by the deck crew. During this time, the engineering crew remained at their posts to work the pumps, controlling the flooding as much as possible. Their actions ensured the power stayed on during the evacuation and allowed the wireless radio system to keep sending distress signals.These men bravely kept at their work as it was their responsibility. They helped save more than 700 people even though it would cost them them their own lives. This story shows how irresponsible decisions can negatively impact not only your own life, but the lives of others. The story also demonstrates how following through on your responsibilities can make a major impact especially when you are putting the welfare of others above yourself. Responsibilities are not to be taken lightly. Take time to think about what you are responsible for now. Prioritize those responsibilities and decide on how you’re going to hold yourself accountable to them. For without accountability there’s usually a lack of follow through on those responsibilities. And having responsibilities is a gift for it gives you ownership of your life.

TIME: one of our most precious assets

Sun, 16 Dec 2018 15:13:00 GMT

The older I get, the quicker time seems to go by. Parents/guardians can probably relate. For this blog, I want to share a few quotes I found about the importance of time. My hope is that you will reflect on these thoughts and share with your teenagers. "We must use time wisely and forever realize the time is always ripe to do right." - Nelson Mandela "Time is what we want most, but what we use worst." - William Penn "Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back." - Harvey Mackay, author and columnist "Time has a wonderful way of showing us what really matters." - Anonymous Children spell 'love' T-I-M-E." - Ray Miller, author

Teaching integrity to teenagers

Sun, 09 Dec 2018 21:39:00 GMT

Between social media, peer pressures, and even family pressures, teenagers are inundated with decisions every day. Decisions which may require them to make choices of whether or not to be honest and truthful. So how do you teach them to remain true to their values and moral code? An article in the Washington Post I read recently outlines eight ways to teach them to be truthful. Check out the article for a deeper look at these ways. Maintain a mindset of curiosity. Help them see the long view. Consider the root cause. Model honesty. Provide a runway. Carefully consider consequences. Don't be afraid to have it out. Talk about values. These teenage years are critical. Now more than ever they need our continuous guidance to prepare them for those next immediate steps beyond high school.

The essence of integrity

Sun, 02 Dec 2018 14:48:00 GMT

The following story speaks to the essence of integrity: building trust. The year was 1854, a Mormon pioneer named Jacob Hamblin was living in Illinois when he was sent to southern Utah to help settle that area of the country. Hamblin quickly developed a friendship with the Native Americans who lived there. He did business with them regularly and they knew they could trust him to treat them fairly and honestly. He was known as a man of integrity by his new friends because of his consistent actions. One day he sent his son to obtain blankets from a Native American man in exchange for a pony. The man offered a pile of blankets after examining the pony, but the son, wanting to prove what a good business man he could be, refused the offer, saying he wanted more. The man continued to add blankets to the pile until the son agreed to the trade. However, when the boy returned home, he found his father was not proud of his business skill. The boy had taken more than the pony was worth, and he promptly sent the son to return half the blankets. The Native American man laughed after the boy shared why he came back. He had known Hamblin would make his son return the extra blankets. Hamblin's actions over time created trust between himself and the Native Americans. Had he not sent his son back to his friend, trust may have been lost as well as his reputation of integrity. It may take years to build trust with others and a reputation of integrity, but it can only take a second to lose it. Be consistent in your actions and never do anything that will compromise your integrity regardless if someone is watching or not.

The Power of Reflection by P.S. Rowland

Ellen Young — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 19:32:00 GMT

The wonder I do see, as I glance upon the sea, the reflection telling stories, as it does look back at me. My image it has captured, and tales it’s tossed about. I want to read the story, to dispel this aching doubt. Is it full of love, and beauty, or tainted with selfishness? Is it someone you’d be proud of, or cause your heart distress? History has been written, the past is cast in stone, the story’s already been published, Is it something you do own? Future chapters await, it’s your chance to make anew. Any flaws that pained your eye, rewrite to be brand new.

The meaning of Thanksgiving

Sun, 18 Nov 2018 13:50:00 GMT

Thanksgiving has different meanings for all of us. For me, it is a time to slow down and spend quality time with my family. I am thankful and grateful for them every day, but on this day, traditionally we are together as a family. Having adult children now, we all go in different directions on a daily basis. So, when we get time together on Thanksgiving, we take advantage of the time to connect. I read an article recently on the meaning of Thanksgiving and the author lists three expressions of gratitude for this day. To gather in unity - It is refreshing and invigorating when people come together, in celebration of a common purpose. It is a reconciliation of differences as well as a time of healing. In sharing our victories as well as our struggles, we find strength and hope. To teach the young - In stories retold, each generation brings purpose and significance to the richness of their heritage. Faded pictures, sentimental knick-knacks, traditions before a meal all form a Thanksgiving family legacy. To prepare the heart - In gratitude, we humbly reflect upon all the gifts (family, friends, health) that saturate our lives. By "giving-thanks" we choose to extend ourselves and give to others less fortunate. Out of the abundance of our hearts, we are able to offer our resources to help others. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and find the joy in gathering together.

Remembering why we observe Veterans Day

Sun, 11 Nov 2018 21:17:00 GMT

Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day. At the 11th hour on November 11, 1918, the Armistice with Germany went into effect to formally end major hostilities of World War I. After an urging from veteran organizations, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to honor and recognize all veterans. Though we are a long way from the days of World War I, it was on the first Armistice Day in 1919, in which President Woodrow Wilson uttered the following words to set the stage for honoring our veterans: "To us in America the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service, and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations." I draw your attention to the word gratitude. We observe and honor our veterans because we are grateful for their service to all of us. They have protected and defended the freedoms that we enjoy. Let us never forget that. When you come across a veteran, let your words and actions show your gratitude not only today, but all days.

Learning gratitude from our history

Sat, 03 Nov 2018 19:23:00 GMT

November is the month for gratitude. Having gratitude means we express humility and thankfulness for the people, opportunities, gifts, and talents afforded us. I shared the following with our students on Wednesday, November 1 in my monthly video talk on character. The year was 1933. The Great Depression had reached its lowest point as nearly 15 million Americans, 20 percent of the population, were unemployed and over half of the nation’s banks had failed. Others who remained employed had their wages reduced which also decreased their buying power. Soup kitchens, breadlines, and a growing population of homeless people were common across many cities and towns in the U.S. Despite all of these challenges, many Americans learned how to make do with what they had. They developed an attitude of gratitude and learned how to be grateful for what they did have and not what they were going without. We have learned throughout our history that it’s not what you don’t have, but what you do with what you have that counts the most. That type of perspective only happens when you have gratitude. Folks during the Great Depression may have eaten the same type of meal for days on end, but they learned to be grateful that they had food. Marty Bryan, age 84, from Columbus, Ohio shared, “I lived through The Great Depression and can remember eating beans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner when I was four years old but at least we had something to eat. Others didn’t.” Another resident from Columbus, Ohio, Maxine Bartelt, age 87, recalls. “Eating was different in those days, too. We didn’t come to a table and complain because the food wasn’t what we liked. There were not many choices. We ate or went without. Some days bread and gravy tasted very good.” The point here is this. We all have challenges and struggles we have to deal with from time to time. And it can be easy to get down because of those challenges. But it’s during those challenging times where a focus on being truly grateful for what we have will get us through. Because no matter what issues we may have, there is always someone out there in the world who has even greater challenges. Take a moment and think about what or who you are grateful for in your life and let that sink in. For me personally, I am truly grateful, thankful, and joyful that I have the opportunity to serve as the principal at L-DHS every day. I am grateful and appreciative that I have a supportive and loving family at home that allows me to be in this role at Lee-Davis because quite frankly "I’m living the dream" every day.

Creating a Positive Mental Attitude - finale

Sun, 28 Oct 2018 21:56:00 GMT

The advances in technology in a lot of ways have made our lives more convenient. We have access to information at our finger tips. We can communicate with almost anyone at any given time. We can share our lives with the world through various social media apps. However, the same advances have also complicated our lives by placing more demands on our time. People have access to us 24 hours a day. We have emails that come in non stop. People are constantly checking social media to see what's going in in their world. The stress of these demands can lead to negative thinking. One final step to creating a positive mental attitude is to simplify your life. The busier and more complicated life is, the more difficult it becomes to remain positive. When you have too many demands on your time and too many obligations, you have little time for fun, spending time with people who can lift you up, or just having down time to reflect or be at peace. Take an inventory of how you're spending your time and see where you can drop things from your to-do list or other "stuff" you can get rid of. Reducing the demands on your time and in your life will lighten your load and allow you to feel more positive. You'll find you have more time for family and friends, fun, or just time to relax and rejuvenate.

Creating a Positive Mental Attitude Part II

Mon, 22 Oct 2018 01:00:00 GMT

Over the last two years I have read a book entitled The Positive Dog with students I mentor. It's a book that emphasizes which dog are you feeding, the positive dog or the negative one. One of the strategies recommended in the book was to take a daily gratitude walk and reflect on what you are grateful for in life. Starting each day in this manner fills your mind and soul with positive thoughts. One of the next steps to creating a positive mental attitude to practice daily gratitude. You can take a gratitude walk or keep a gratitude journal to reinforce your thinking. For this to be effective, it must be intentional and become part of our daily routine. We are creatures of habit and creating a habit of positive thinking can have a tremendous positive effect over time. Another step is to stop reacting. Small negative events may occur during your day and can cause feelings of frustration or anger.Someone may something rude to you or cut you off in traffic. Don't let that ruin your day. You still own your actions to the thoughts you have. Teach yourself how to control your reactions and find other ways to respond to minimize the negativity. One strategy is to find humor in those situations and chalk it up to experience. Another strategy is to associate with positive people. We tend to take in and reflect on the emotions and attitudes of those we spend the most time with. Surround yourself with people who will lift you up, who are confident, who find the silver lining. and who support you. Next week's post will complete this series on creating a positive mental attitude.

Creating a Positive Mental Attitude

Sun, 14 Oct 2018 16:11:00 GMT

Dawn Staley, the current women's basketball coach at South Carolina, played her college ball at the University of Virginia. During her time there she wore a rubber band on her wrist. Anytime she made a negative play, she would snap the band on her wrist as a reminder that it was a mistake, forgive yourself, learn from it, and play on. That simple action allowed her to control her thoughts. We have the same power. Negative thoughts come into our minds and are usually tied to something in the past or something in the future. It could be a mistake you made or thoughts about a future event you're not looking forward to. Either way you no longer have control over what happened or what the outcome may be of a future event. You can only control your thoughts and actions in the moment. The first three steps to creating a positive mental attitude are awareness, breaking the negative thought, then replacing it. Find your own "rubber band" by recognizing the negative thoughts, "snapping" out of it, and then re-framing the thoughts with more positive words of action. In other words, identify the source of the thoughts, forgive yourself, learn from it, and move forward. The next series of blog posts will focus on other steps to creating a Positive Mental Attitude.

The courage to fail forward

Sun, 07 Oct 2018 18:19:00 GMT

There is really nothing like experience. One of my favorite quotes of all time is by Michael Jordan. "I have failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." He learned to fail forward. The mistakes he made as a basketball player or in business taught him valuable lessons. He chose to turn those lessons into new learning. He took time to reflect on his experiences and how he could improve himself toward greater success. Often times young people who fail at something tend to develop a fear of failing especially if it's a similar task or situation they have failed at before. When there is a fear of failure, the tendency is to either not try again at all or give a half-hearted effort so the excuse becomes "I really didn't try." It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. When your mindset shifts to failing forward, you develop the courage to move past the failure by focusing on what you learned from the experience. Your reflection on your past mistakes or failures is key to establishing your next steps and overcoming your fear.

Celebrating personal victories

Sun, 30 Sep 2018 21:44:00 GMT

According to Andy Warhol, "You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you." Here are 10 personal victories to celebrate in everyday life. 1. When you befriend a person who seems lonely or out of place. 2. When you find the perfect gift for someone and make their day. 3. When you learn how to do something - change a tire, cook your favorite dish, use a new app - that you couldn't do yesterday. 4. When you decide your past mistakes will no longer define you. 5. When you drink enough water, eat healthy food, exercise, and get enough sleep - all in one day. 6. When someone younger asks for help because they look up to you. 7. When you share something you have plenty of with someone who has less. 8. When you stop procrastinating and just do that thing you've been putting off. 9. When you tackle all the clutter in your room and finally organize it to your liking. 10. When you apologize to someone you have truly wronged. Remember, it's the little things that can make a big difference.

The concept of personal victory

Sun, 23 Sep 2018 12:44:00 GMT

Personal victory is really the mastering of self. It doesn't happen by chance. According to Stephen Covey's book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People there are three basic habits that can lead you to personal victory: 1)Be proactive; 2)Begin with the end in mind; 3)Put the first thing first. Being proactive means mentally setting yourself up for victory. It's a decision. It could be as simple as deciding you're going to clean your room or making the decision that you're going to do your homework instead of watching Netflix or playing Fortnite. Begin with the end in mind is about what you want to accomplish: your room will be clean or your homework will be done. You feel that sense of accomplishment no matter how big or small it may seem. Put the first thing first is about what you value and make a priority. When it's a priority, it will get your attention and focus. What gets your attention and focus gets done. Once you get the concept of personal victory, the next step is learning how to celebrate the small victories. Next week's blog will focus on those victories.

The Power of Words

Sun, 16 Sep 2018 16:04:00 GMT

"Words are the singular most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate, and to humble." - Yehuda Berg (International best selling author and speaker) Considering the "powerful force" of our words, how can we discipline ourselves to consistently speak in a way that conveys respect, gentleness, and humility? One way is to take time to THINK. T - Is it TRUE? H - Is it HELPFUL? I - Is it INSPIRING? N - Is it NECESSARY? K - Is it KIND?

Wellness in the workplace

Sun, 09 Sep 2018 20:17:00 GMT

Corporate America has long seen the benefits of having wellness programs for employees where they work. According to fitness expert Dr. Steven Aldana, CEO of WellSteps, there are five benefits to having a wellness programs in the workplace. Improve Employee Health Behaviors Reduce Elevated Health Risks Reduce Health Care Costs Improve Productivity Can Decrease Absenteeism See the full article here. At Lee-Davis, we have also put more emphasis on wellness. Our staff spent some time during the planning week generating ideas for wellness opportunities for themselves and also for our kids. The school year can be stressful at times and we need to ensure we have strategies in place to take care of ourselves and our kids. You may find staff members taking a walk or working out during a planning period. You may see a class outside doing yoga before a major test. Just know that these wellness strategies are designed to enhance the educational experiences of all learners for the long haul. Our county has also expanded its reach on wellness by providing more resources to all of its employees. They too realize the benefit of having these programs and opportunities in place. If you do not currently have a wellness plan, I encourage you to find one that fits your lifestyle. When it fits your lifestyle, you are more likely to maintain a program that benefits you now and for the long term. (And think about the example you are setting for our kids).

Success is a mindset

Sun, 02 Sep 2018 21:22:00 GMT

Most dictionaries define success as an attainment of wealth, fame, respect, or favor. When I asked students on our Student Advisory Council how they believed society defines success, the overwhelming common answers were money and status. John Wooden, the hall of fame basketball coach, defined success as "peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do your best to become the best you are capable of becoming." It is this definition that I believe relates more to our mission: To empower all learners to be successful. It is our own mindset that determines whether or not we are successful. If we are constantly comparing ourselves to the "Jones" of the world, we may never achieve that "peace of mind." However, if we focus our efforts on just being the best we can be, success is a lot more attainable. Our kids have grown up in a world where there are instant "status" updates. They have been exposed greatly to what society may deem as success. Our mission to help them define success for themselves and to discover that their successes will come as a direct result of their best efforts. As the adults in their world, we too are learners and our kids will learn from what we model.

The importance of value

Sun, 26 Aug 2018 21:36:00 GMT

This school year, we are having a different type of focus. One that places emphasis on our mindset. Our focus for this year will be on Value, Success, and Wellness. The next three series of this blog will focus on these three areas. We will start with Value. People of value, value other people. I heard John Maxwell, a leadership coach, repeat this over and over in an audio book I listened to this summer. This comment got me to thinking about our staff and our kids. We are people of value who value other people. The big question is, how do we ADD value to other people? Adding value to others is an intentional act. We cannot rely on our subconscious to make this happen. It is a conscious decision we make to enhance the lives of others. We have to learn more about one another in order to know how we can add value to others. I tell people all the time, the better I know you, the better I can serve you. Encourage your kids to be open to conversations with our staff so that we can get to know them better. If we are persistent and consistent in this pursuit of adding value, it will have a positive compound effect and our kids will be better for it.

Mission Possible

Sat, 18 Aug 2018 14:25:00 GMT

I think it is safe to say we live in an Information Age. We have so much access to information and other people throughout the world via the devices we carry every day. Through the technology we have at our disposal, we share our lives, we get the news, we run businesses, we earn degrees, and the list goes on and on. For our kids, it is nearly impossible to "monitor" what they have access to 24/7. So how do we help them navigate a world in which they probably have more knowledge about the technology than we do? Empowerment. During my graduation speech on June 16, I stated that our kids have the potential to be the next greatest generation because they have the means necessary to spread compassion throughout the world. Our challenge as parents/guardians and educators is to help them develop and refine their life skills in this information age so they can maximize their potential. To do that, we must also continue to learn and grow right along with them. Our mission, To empower all learners to be successful, is our guiding principle. We can empower our kids by giving them a voice, engaging them in real world learning experiences, and by providing an inclusive environment in which they not only learn from others, but learn to appreciate others. By working together, we can empower the next greatest generation.

How to be loyal part 3

Sun, 10 Jun 2018 15:02:00 GMT

We've already looked at two ways to build loyalty: 1) being honest and trustworthy; 2) being supportive and generous. This week we look at the third way to build loyalty: Week 3: Maintaining Healthy Boundaries Choose to give your loyalty to others. Loyalty should be something you freely give to others because you want to, not because you feel you have to. Don't feel obligated because it is demanded or expected. Choose to be loyal to those you trust and believe in because of their actions and character. Do not let others take advantage of your loyalty. The relationships you have in life should feel equitable where you feel you are getting as much as you are giving. If you feel you are being taken advantage of by a friend or family member, sit them down for a conversation about your feelings which goes back to being honest and trustworthy. Maintain your independence. Be sure to have to time for yourself to do your own thing. Avoid being too dependent on others. If you have a significant other, perhaps you take one day a week to socialize with other friends or family members. Allow time for self-care. Take the time to focus on your needs. Establish a routine where you do something you enjoy such as working out, reading, or even mindfulness activities. This will help prevent burn out or the sense of dependence on others. "Peace means loyalty to self...And loyalty to one's self means never a gap between thought, speech, act." - Ruth Beebe Hill, author.

How to be loyal part 2

Sun, 03 Jun 2018 20:38:00 GMT

Last week we focused on being honest and trustworthy as one way to build loyalty. This week we look at a second way to build loyalty. Week 2: Being Supportive and Generous. Support the goals, ambitions, and dreams of others. Try to show genuine interest in the goals and dreams of your family and friends. If your friend dreams of being a musician, show your support by going to his/her show and promoting him/her on social media. Support a family member's career goal by offering to help them study for a test or exam. Be a good listener. Take the time to listen to what they have to say. Maintain eye contact and nod when you listen to a family member or a friend. Be sure to put your phone away to give them your undivided attention. Avoid interrupting them when they are speaking. Offer positive solutions and ideas. Come up with ideas and solutions that make them feel optimistic and productive. You can support a friend going through a break up by reminding them of all the positive things they have going on in their life. Resist judging others for their choices and actions. Practice empathy for others versus judging them. Don't let a family member's lifestyle choices blind you to all the reasons why you care about them. Be open to the ideas and lifestyles of others that may be different than yours. "Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice." - Woodrow Wilson

How to be loyal

Sun, 27 May 2018 21:59:00 GMT

Loyalty is one of the character traits we emphasize under The Lee-Davis Way umbrella. For our purposes, we define loyalty as demonstrating pride and allegiance to our country, community, school, family, and peers. But how does one become loyal? For the next three weeks, I will touch on three ways to build loyalty. Week 1: Be honest and trustworthy. Always be open and straightforward with your friends and family. Avoid being judgmental in your approach. Try putting yourself in their shoes, "it's your decision, but if it were me..." Avoid gossip and encourage others around you that engage in that type of behavior to stop. Let them know you prefer to speak directly with your friend or family member. Follow through on your commitments. Show up to meet your friends or family if you tell them that you be there. If you tell a friend that you're always there for them, then make sure you are there when they need you. Stand up for others when needed. Be your family member's or friend's biggest cheerleader. When someone else attempts to speak poorly of them or bring them down, respectfully stand up for them. "Respect is earned. Honesty is appreciated. Trust is gained. Loyalty is returned." - unknown

Developing habits of gratitude

Sun, 20 May 2018 20:04:00 GMT

Each month I meet with the same group of students for lunch and conversation. These past two months we've been reading a book, The Positive Dog, by Jon Gordon. There was a short chapter in the book we discussed this past Wednesday about the differences between "Get to and Have to." When we develop a habit of saying "we get to" instead of "we have to," we begin seeing more of the positives in our lives. A student example might be to say "I get to go to school today" versus "I have to go to school today." This simple change in wording helps our minds to focus more on what we're grateful for in our lives. As I mentioned to my students during our conversation, there are kids in other parts of the world that are not able to go to school and would love the opportunity to go and learn. I encourage you this week, as I did my students, to start saying "I get to..." and see if that changes your perspective on your life. When you make this type of thinking a habit, you begin to live a life of gratitude. Share this except from Gordon's book. A man goes to the village to visit the wise man and he says to the wise man, "I feel like there are two dogs inside of me. One dog is this positive, loving, kind, and gentle dog and then I have this angry, mean-spirited, and negative dog and they fight all the time. I don't know which is going to win." The wise man thinks for a moment and he says, "I know which dog is going to win. The one you feed the most, so feed the positive dog."

Self-Motivation

Sun, 13 May 2018 20:13:00 GMT

Self-motivation is the ability to what needs to be done, without influence from other people or situations. People with self-motivation can find a reason and strength to complete a task, even when challenging, without giving up or needing encouragement from outside sources. Motivation is tied to goals So often our kids need that extra push from others in their world or from other external factors to motivate them. Why is that? Typically it is because they have lost faith in achieving their goals or they haven't any goals at all. To help our kids develop self-motivation, we must first help them define their purpose and their goals. But we mustn't stop there. We must also model and show them how to make a plan to achieve those goals and how to monitor their progress along the way. Once they have that in place, their self-motivation can only grow.

Effort

Sun, 06 May 2018 13:46:00 GMT

"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential." - Winston Churchill When encouraging our students, focus on their efforts more than the outcomes of the efforts. They need to know that it is their continuous efforts toward achieving their goals that will ultimately enable them to reach their potential.

Perseverance - working through the challenges

Sun, 29 Apr 2018 11:48:00 GMT

I am inspired every day by some of our students who have life challenges and yet they never make their circumstances an excuse. I know at times they grow weary from their daily struggles, but they continue to come to school and put in the work to move themselves forward. They know that getting a solid education WILL positively impact their lives. The following quote reminds me of them. "Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did." - Newt Gingrich.

Controls

Thu, 19 Apr 2018 17:13:00 GMT

As our kids begin learning more about growth within themselves, they begin to understand more about what they can and cannot control. Share and discuss the following excerpt with your teenagers. This passage comes from a book entitled The Portable Pep Talk by Alexander Lockhart. You cannot control the length of your life, but you can control its width and depth. You cannot control the contour of your countenance, but you can control its expression. You cannot control the other person's opportunities, but you can grasp your own. You cannot control the weather, but you can control the moral atmosphere which surrounds you. You cannot control the distance that your head shall be above ground, but you can control the height of the contents of your mind. You cannot control the other persons faults, but you can see to it that you yourself do not develop or harbor provoking propensities. Why worry about things you cannot control? Get busy controlling the things that depend on YOU.

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